Twelve Wishes
by Shaun Garin
Summary: [First in a Trilogy][Mangaverse Altraverse] Some things lie in the sands of Liore, undisturbed for millennia. Edward and Alphonse Elric are about to find out just what was down there.
1. Chapter 1

Twelve Wishes

written by Shaun Garin

Fullmetal Alchemist is owned and copyright SquareEnix and Arakawa Hiromu the original manga-ka. The story of Aladdin and the Lamp is public domain but the character of Genie is copyright Disney somewhere around 1997 or 1995 or so. References to Disney's movie Hercules and the original legend of Herakles and the Greek Gods are both copyright Disney somewhere in the 1997 to 2000 timeframe and the original legend is public domain. This story takes place in the Manga timeline and as a result, differs from the Anime timeline.

Chapter 1 : The First Wish

* * *

"That was the biggest waste of time I have ever experienced in my life," muttered Edward Elric as he and Alphonse Elric, his younger brother, walked across the scorching sands separating the town of Liore and actual civilization. "I should have brought more food or at least some grass that I could transmute into bread." 

"We had to leave Liore fairly quickly brother. I don't think they would have given us time to stock up on food before we left that place," pointed out Alphonse helpfully which only made Edward groan a bit louder as he shuffled along.

The pair walked in silence, trudging over sandy dunes that made Edward's boots sink deep into them. After a while, the sound of metal on rough sand ceased and then Edward looked behind him. A hand was sticking out, waving at him. "Aw geez Al," Edward groaned as he reached down and began to shovel his brother out of the sand.

After a long half an hour of agonizing manual labour, Edward panted while sitting on his suitcase. "I don't see how you manage to sink all the time!"

"I get full, I told you," responded Alphonse and Edward kicked him in the chestplate. The chestplate fell off Edward and with a loud FWOMP, the short Elric was buried in sand. Alphonse inched away, expecting a blow up. He was not disappointed as Edward burst from the sand and made to chase him when all of a sudden, a metal object bounced off Edward's head from where it had been lodged in Alphonse's armor. "Ow, the hell?"

Alphonse reached down and picked it up to examine the object as Edward nursed the forming bruise on his head. "It's an oil lamp," said Alphonse as he shook it. A faint swishing of oil could be heard from the inside and Alphonse examined the tarnished surface. "Made of brass."

"It's probably cheap junk that someone threw away," said Edward. "Put it away before it does me another injury."

"I think there's something written here," added Alphonse as he peered at the writing that adorned the bottom of the lamp, encircling the squat base. "Maybe it belonged to someone?"

"If it is, then the person who lost it must have passed by here a long time ago." Edward took the lamp from Alphonse and shook it to hear the swishing sound of oil. "See? There's barely any left. It's pretty covered in dirt anyhow, you can't even see the metal."

Placing his sleeve to the brass, Edward rubbed the red material over the dusty old lamp when it jumped in his hand. Edward dropped the lamp in surprise as it jumped and leapt on its own violation several more times. Sparks began to shoot out of it and exploding into sparkling fireworks as the Elric brothers simultaneously leapt behind a convenient dune. As the pair watched from behind the protective dune, smoke billowed out from the lamp and there was a low sound that grew to a fever pitch. It sounded something like this.

"YyyyyyyyeeaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH...! OI!" There was a loud crick like bones in a neck popping and the pair gazed up at the big giant blue... thing that was massaging his neck with a wince. "Ten thousand years will give you such a crick in the neck!"

Without warning, the blue thing yanked its head off and spun it around before slamming it back to rest on its shoulders. "Whoo! That felt better! Okay, so who was the lucky guy who woke me up, huh?"

"I think we did something wrong," whispered Alphonse and Edward made shushing motions as the blue thing gazed across the dune sea.

"Aw snap, something musta rubbed up against my lamp," said the thing as he looked about. Then, light conveniently glinted off Alphonse's armor and he exclaimed, "Ah HA!" while pointing directly at them. "THERE YOU ARE!"

There was a poignant silence and then Edward yelled "RUN!"

In a mad dash, the pair scrambled over dunes and skidded down valleys in the sand towards the general direction of humanity when a giant blue hand picked them up like they were little rag dolls. "Whoa hold on there little guys," said the blue thing, earning a loud retort from Edward.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING A SHORT STACKED BEAN MIDGET THAT CAN'T EVEN GET OVER A DUNE HUH!"

The creature rubbed a finger into his ear and sighed. "Look kids, you're the first people to wake me up in nearly ten thousand years or so. Would you PLEASE stop running?"

"What are you?" asked Alphonse, looking upwards at the big blue thing.

The blue thing grinned widely as he set them down and proclaimed, "I am the Genie of the Lamp!"

"A Genie? There's no such things as Genies!" exclaimed Edward hotly.

The self proclaimed Genie of the Lamp folded his arms over his massive chest and retorted, "There is so!"

"Is not! You're just some kind of... freaky... chimera... thingy," said Edward, loosing his train of thought as the giant sized Genie glared at them. "Er... sorry?"

The Genie chuckled and in a movement accompanied with a sound of ZIP, became human sized as he leaned on Alphonse. "No problems kid, people keep disbelieving in this day and age. I am yours to command oh Master. You have three wishes."

Suddenly he split into three and held up his fingers. "Three," the copies chorused. "Uno dos tres." With that, he popped out of existence and another Genie walked past them, wearing glasses and he had a mustache and a cigar. "No substitutions, exchanges or refunds."

"Well I'm convinced," said Alphonse and Edward stared at him like he had gone mad. "Brother, there's a good chance that we're looking at real magic."

"Magic isn't real!" screamed Edward and the Genie fell over, holding up a flower and a headstone popped out behind his head. "And STOP THAT! I know that you can't kill a Genie like that, that's Fairies!"

Genie opened an eye and smirked. "And HOW do you know that huh?"

Edward slapped his hands over his mouth and Alphonse laughed. "He got you brother! You remember mothers stories!"

As the Fullmetal Alchemist went red in embarrassment, Genie tapped on Alphonse's forehead, earning a hollow clank in reply. "Hmm, you tried to bring someone back huh?" Alphonse and Edward jumped back in shock and Genie sighed. "Always the trick. Someone can't use magic to bring someone back, why not science?"

"You've seen something like this happen once before?" asked Alphonse and Genie nodded.

"Kid, people have been trying to bring back people for millennia. I should know; they constantly ask me for it and I keep telling people, I can't do it. Rule number three." Genie suddenly became hideous and a rotting green hue, dripping body parts. Edward immediately went sick and Alphonse would have gone pale if he could have. "I can't bring anyone back from the dead," he wheezed. "It's not a pretty picture. I DON'T LIKE DOING IT!"

With a poof of green smoke, Genie was back to his blue self as Edward recovered heaving his meal all over the sands. "So," said Edward weakly. "What CAN'T you do?"

"Well lets see," said Genie, tapping his fingers several times, more fingers coming out to accompany them. "You know Rule number three so I'll give you Rule one and two and the newly instated Rule four. Rule number ONE!" Alphonse and Edward jumped at the sudden yell as Genie sidled up to Al and leaned on him. "I can't kill anyone."

With a "BLAUGH!" he sliced his own head off and it landed into Alphonse's hands. "So don't ask," said the shoulderless Genie head and Alphonse plopped it back onto Genie's head. "RULE NUMBER TWO! I can't make anyone fall in love with anyone else."

And without warning, changed his head into a pair of lips and nearly sucked Edward's head off. "You little puddum!" exclaimed Genie, squeezing Edward's cheeks. Edward was too dazed to register the little part and merely nodded weakly.

"And the newly instated, Rule Number Four." Genie pulled a rulebook out of nowhere and flipped several pages. "No wishing for more wishes. Other than that, I'm yours." Genie slammed the book closed, waiting expectantly.

"If you can't bring someone back, can you restore what was lost? Like say..." Edward held his right arm up and the metal glinted. "Bodies?"

"Oooh, tricky, hold on." Genie whipped up a wireless phone, something that made Edward and Alphonse boggle as he punched in a number. There was a few audible rings and then someone on the other end picked up. "Hey hey, Hades! Yeah, it's me. Uh huh, well it's hard to visit you know. Yeah I know the mutt misses me but it's hard to get out of the lamp in this day and age. Yeah, can you put Seph on?"

Genie covered the phone and stage whispered, "Persepherone, Goddess of Rebirth. That was her husband Hades, Lord of the Dead." Then, he returned to the phone. "Hey hey! Seph! Yeah I know I never call, I never write, but I haven't gotten turned free yet! I know Al promised he was going to free me but the kid got himself whacked! Uh huh, tell him I miss him and Abu too. Anyhow, Seph, you mind opening the Doors of Truth for me? Yeah, thanks. I owe you one? Hey c'mon I sent you that nice cash and check deal right? All right, love you too. Say hi to the clod patrol and the drool factory for me. Later."

Clicking his cell phone off and banishing it somewhere else, Genie turned around and without warning, a giant set of doors appeared out of nowhere. Edward swore under his breath and Alphonse said, "Brother, that's..."

"The Doors of Truth," said Edward, nodding.

"Stand back, stand back people!" Ordered Genie. "If you get caught, you'll be paying more passage fee. So is this a proper wish then?"

"You mean we have to say I Wish and then it'll come true?" asked Alphonse and Genie nodded.

"It's HIS wish," said Genie, pointing to Edward. "One of three. So is it?"

"Well, this is what we've been wanting all this time," said Edward. "All right, lets see what you're made of. I wish for our bodies to be restored."

"All right!" Exclaimed Genie, turning into a suited man who pumped his arm around in the air making sounds that sounded like "HOO HOO HOO!". "Okay, lets get started!"

* * *

"Is... this... really... necessary?" puffed Edward as he pulled the chains that raised the platform with Alphonse laying on it upwards into the roof of the castle. The Fullmetal Alchemist was currently hunchbacked as he raised Alphonse up to the roof of the castle where a storm was raging. 

Genie cackled. "Higher! Higher Igor!"

Edward made a face as he pulled Alphonse up higher. "Al! You okay up there?" he yelled.

"I'm okay!" called out the tiny voice from inside the armor.

Genie ran around the room, throwing switches. Electricity crackled and he laughed amidst the storm that was exploding around him. "More! More power Igor!"

Ed gave up and called out, "Yes master!" With a giant heave, he pulled a switch labeled "Throw Me".

Electrical power erupted all around them and there was a thunderous boom as lightning lanced downwards and crashed into Alphonse's body.

Just as soon as the storm had begun, it subsided as Edward lowered Alphonse to the ground. The body underneath the sheet moaned and a hand appeared from it, twitching.

Genie cackled and threw up his arms in triumph. "IT'S ALIVE! ALIVE!"

"Al?" said Edward, reaching for the sheet. With a tug, he pulled it away to reveal the chocolate brown eyes of his younger brother who smiled.

"That was fun, can we do it again?" asked Alphonse and Edward practically tackled the bone-thin boy.

"AL! You're back to normal!" cried Edward and Alphonse hugged back. "And you're bone thin! And naked."

Abruptly the castle vanished and clothing wrapped around Alphonse's body as the young boy with long hair nearly stumbled. "Whoa there," said Genie as he handed him a drink. "Drink this. It'll restore your muscle tone and weight."

Alphonse did so and light poured from his body, restoring the lost weight from the hibernation his body undertook. Alphonse licked his lips and said, "Strawberry. I missed this taste."

Edward looked over at Genie who smiled. "Thanks," he said.

"No problem. Now lets get you back to normal too." Leading Edward towards the doors, Genie rapped on them and a being poked his head out.

"Yes?" asked the faceless being. It seemed to make a face and said, "Oh geez. Do I hafta?"

"A wish is a wish, and you don't want Seph bearing down on you, do you?" said Genie and the being muttered. Holding out his arm and a leg, Genie shot a burst of violet and silver light at Edward's arm and leg. The limbs burst with light and Ed pulled his sleeve back to see the automail flaking away and being replaced by flesh and blood. Even the scars vanished from his shoulder and leg, leaving clear healthy skin.

The Gate being glared at Genie. "A pox on Genies."

"Take it up with the union," replied Genie flippantly and the gate being seemed to make a rude gesture as the doors shut and vanished.

Edward rubbed his newly flesh and blood arm and remarked, "Why didn't you do this with Alphonse instead of all of that fanfare?"

"Well, if I did the Beauty and the Beast transformation sequence, I'd be looked at funny," said Genie, raising his eyebrows. Edward rolled his eyes as Alphonse walked over, giggling madly as he dragged his feet through the sand.

"People are going to wonder why we're flesh and blood again, brother," said Alphonse, taking another sip and more light poured through his body.

"He's right," said Edward.

Genie folded his arms and smirked. "You didn't think I'd leave you without access to those bodies, do you?"

"Huh?" chorused the boys and Genie rolled his eyes.

"Look kids, if you want to get those bodies back, I added something new in. As a little thank you for making such a selfless wish. I figured you'd need it since no one opens the Gates and then survives without having the old curse placed on them. May you live in interesting times. Anywho, I went ahead and chose your keywords. All you have to do Edward is clap your hands and say "Fullmetal". Alphonse, you need to slam both fists together and call out "Armor On"."

Edward's eyebrow twitched. "You have GOT to be kidding me."

Alphonse finished his drink and massaged his hands. "Well, let me see if I can give it a try."

Depositing his drink into a wastebin that Genie handily provided with a "no littering" sign emblazoned on it, Alphonse shook out his arms and then took a breath as he brought his fists together. "Armor On!"

Blue light crackled from the point of impact as Alphonse spread his arms to the side, his body vanishing in blue light, leaving a glow of white light where his eyes were once. Then, bringing the glowing outline of his fists together again, armor flowed over his body and the helmet snapped together where he posed against a black background and explosions erupted around him.

Edward stared in shock and his mouth moved in open mouthed surprise as Genie laughed and Alphonse exclaimed, "That was FUN!"

"That was EMBARRASING!" exclaimed Edward hotly. "No self respecting Alchemist goes around like some kind of manga hero!"

"Where's your sense of adventure, brother?" asked Alphonse and Edward noticed that his jaw moved like it was liquid metal when he spoke, giving the image of a real living suit of armor. Even the way his body moved seemed to indicate living metal, rather than a partially immobile suit of armor.

"FINE," grit out Edward as he slapped his hands together. "FULLMETAL!"

The same black background dropped as Edward's arm began to flake off as he held it upright in front of his face, blue light crackling along it to his shoulder. His leg also vanished in the same crackling light as he brought his hand down, trailing light to his arm and then moving his left arm up to his shoulder. Blue light crackled along where he drew an metal arm out of nowhere and his leg played along with the same light, forming a new metal leg. Edward spun and posed, his fist out and smirking as an explosion erupted behind him.

As the world returned to normal, Edward hung his head. "I feel silly."

"So why did we get these neat transformations?" asked Alphonse of Genie and suddenly, they were sitting in the middle of a classroom where Genie was dressed in a long black robe with a square hat on his head. Edward and Alphonse were sitting in desks tailored to them with Ed wearing a pointed 'Dunce' hat. The Fullmetal Alchemist ripped it off and threw it to the side, amidst snickers from Alphonse.

"When someone makes a wish such as this, they are usually known well in the bodies they currently inhabit." Genie pointed to a crude chibi drawing of Edward and Alphonse in armor and holding up an automail arm. "When the wish is completed, they're all flesh and blood."

The same pointer showed a picture of Edward and Alphonse in human form, jumping up and down and looking happy. "But there is usually some type of problem they'll need their old bodies for to survive." The pointer showed a chibi Scar with his hand out and blowing chibi Edward and Alphonse in armored mode away and an arrow drawn towards it with the words stating "This is a plot device".

"And then as a result, need it to survive the encounter." A picture of Chibi Edward and Alphonse celebrating and another being chased by Chibi Winry holding a wrench and a final diagram of Alphonse back to normal and Chibi Edward in a censored puddle as Chibi Winry fixes Edward's automail. Genie snapped his pointer to it's small shape and asked, "Any questions?"

"Question, who's the guy?" asked Edward, pointing to the Chibi drawing of Scar.

"No one you need to worry bout, I just drew him cause I thought it looked cool," answered Genie and Edward fell out of his desk chair in shock as the classroom vanished in a poof of magic. "So Master, that's one wish down, two wishes to go."

"I have a question," asked Alphonse. "How do we go back to our original flesh and blood bodies?"

"Just say Revert," said Genie. "And use the same motion that you used to transform."

"Revert!" In a flash of blue light, Alphonse stood there and he reached back to tie his long hair back. Edward followed suit and his left leg and right arm flashed.

"You know brother, now we don't need to search for the Philosopher's Stone," said Alphonse. His stomach gurgled and the boy made a face. "I'm still hungry."

"It's a long walk back to the nearest settlement and Liore chased us out," said Edward, grinning madly. "Welcome to humanhood little brother."

"I could get you to civilization pronto," said Genie and Edward shook his head.

"Naw, it's fine. I don't want to waste my next two wishes like that," said Edward.

* * *

"Hey Genie, question," said Alphonse as the train station came into view in the distance. "Do those metal bands on your wrists mean something?" 

Genie looked at them and nodded. "Yeah kid, it does. I'm a slave to the lamp. All part and parcel of the whole Genie Gig." With warning, he became huge and tremendous, the comets flying, stars going supernova. "PHENOMINAL COSMIC POWERS!" he boomed and in an instant, he was staring out from the lid of the lamp, looking very cramped. "Itty bitty living space," he squeaked out.

"That's pretty sad," Edward said. "All that power and you can't do what you want with it."

"I know," said Genie, emerging from the lamp once more. "There was a kid, about twenty, maybe thirty thousand years ago. His name was Aladdin. He promised to wish me free but sadly, he got himself killed. Had a good thing going too but then Jafar got a hold of me and Agrabah fell in a night."

"What happened?" asked Alphonse.

"Heh. Al faced off against him, mostly to get me back and mostly to save this girl he liked, Princess Jasmine. But Jafar was undoubtedly cruel when he came up with a loophole of No Killing. He wished for Al to be sent to the four corners of the earth. What a mess that was. Afterwards, I managed to trick him into becoming a Genie himself and with the help of the Sultan, we buried him deep in the ruins of the Cave of Wonders." Genie's glow was soft and subdued at the memory. "He was a nice kid and promised to wish me free. I was too distraught, I was young and impetuous and thought no one could get past the three rules. Boy did that set me straight. Since then that's been one of the "No" wishes that we Genie's are able to say no to granting. He had one wish left as well." Sad sorrowful violin music was playing in the background by another Genie, dressed in violinists outfit.

"So the only way to get out of this Geniehood is to be wished out," said Edward. "Huh. How about we use a wish to set you free then?"

"You serious?" exclaimed Genie. "You'd do that for me?"

"Well sure," said Edward. "I have three, well two that I used one, and if I give the lamp to Al, then there's another three. So that's five wishes between the two of us. We CAN do that, right?"

Genie brought out his handbook and flipped through it. Then, with a triumphant shout, slammed it shut and the book vanished. "You CAN! It says here wishes are not transferable but ownership of the lamp can be whenever the owner of the lamp deems it. Thus the new owner, aka Al, will get a whole three wishes to himself!"

"I have no problems with it," said Alphonse. "I have what I wanted most of all, so two wishes can be spent frivolously, right?"

"That's the spirit, Al! Only use them when needed. We don't want Mustang or anyone else to know we have real magic," said Edward. "Speaking of which, Genie can you hide in the lamp for a while? We're coming up to civilization and I'd hate to see the chaos if you come strolling in."

"No problemo. I'm in the lamp and there awaiting your call." With a zipping sound, Genie vanished into the lamp.

* * *

"Geez Al you eat like a pig," said Edward as the boys shared a bag of sweet bread between them with the occasional bread being snuck under Alphonse's new jacket that the lamp had been secured beneath. It had been a couple of days since they had left the mining town of Youswell and Edward had subsequently conned the corrupt official out of the deed to the town with a pile of transmuted sludge into gold. From there, the Elrics had headed towards New Optain where they caught the train that was leaving for East City. "Slow down or you'll be sick." 

"I can't help it, it's so good," said Alphonse in between bites and Edward sighed as a third bun was snuck out of the bag by Genie's outstretched hands. "The way you two eat, we'll be out of food before we reach East City."

Alphonse did not stop eating but slowed his pace from a less frantic one and chased it down with a sip of water. "Hey brother?" said Alphonse. "What do you think the Colonel will say?"

"Who cares what stupid old Mustang is gonna say," snapped Edward but his expression betrayed his thoughts on the issue. "We'll have to think of some way to break it to him."

"Yeah," said Alphonse, nodding. "Why don't you get some rest. You were up longer than I was."

"What about you?" asked Edward. "Aren't you going to get some sleep?"

"I will, once I finish," said Alphonse and he tore into the food. Edward sighed and stretched out across the bench. Within minutes, he was fast asleep. Alphonse finished his own food and leaned back to enjoy the ride.

After a while, Alphonse rose to notice a large man with a gun pointed at him. Alphonse blinked several times as the man glared down at Edward who was still sleeping soundly. "He's sleeping pretty carefree," said the man who looked displeased at having a non-terrified occupant of the seat. "Why don't you act more like a hostage you little shrimp!"

There was a terrible flurry of action as Edward launched himself out of his chair, right knee digging deep into the man's face where he fell with a pained groan. The second man brought up his gun to shoot Edward but Edward's fist impacted into his face and the man fell over, unconcious amidst a screaming of "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A FLEA-SIZED SHRIMP?"

Alphonse drug Edward off the poor unconcious and bloodied man and Edward said, "Anyway, who are these guys anyhow?"

Alphonse had a moment of incredulous blinking as he sighed.

Several minutes later after confiscating their guns and transmuting rope to tie them up, the pair interrogated the captured man who spilled everything. "That it?" asked Edward, clenching his fist and the man whimpered.

"YES! That's everything! Ten more men, that's ALL!"

"Ten guys?" Al sighed. "No choice big brother, we'll have to settle this. Although we'd be all right if a certain SOMEONE didn't thrash these guys within an inch of their lives. Are you even wearing the automail?"

Edward chuckled and held up his right arm to show off pink skin. Alphonse clapped a hand over his face and dragged it down in exasperation. "ANYWAYS," shouted Edward, "We need to settle this. No sense getting others hurt, right?"

"Wait a minute, who are you people?" stammered out a man as Edward opened the window.

"Just two alchemists," said Edward but before he could clamber out the window, Alphonse grabbed his shirt. "Huh? What's wrong Al?"

"Brother are you forgetting something?" said Alphonse, tapping Edward's arm.

Edward made a face. "Fine fine. Stand back people. I need room."

The sound of hands clapping rang through the compartment and the announcement of "Fullmetal!" was accompanied by the crackling blue light and black background finishing with the explosion that strangely didn't damage anything and a pose. With his automail in place, Edward clambered out the window and was nearly sucked out by the wind pressure. With Alphonse's help, he got to the roof and the other boy shut the window.

"Some fancy light show you boys do," said another woman who had a little girl with her. "Will you be all right then?"

"Don't worry ma'am," said Alphonse as he brought his hands together. "Armor On!" In the same crackling blue light and black background, Alphonse stood in the middle of the train, his armor gleaming. "We're alchemists and we know what we're doing," he finished, cracking that smile that Edward termed as "human" even though he was now armor.

Picking up his things and Edward's as well, he handed the jacket where the lamp was wrapped in, he opened his chestplate out of view of everyone else and stuffed their things inside. Closing up his chestplate, Alphonse opened the door to the next car.

Two cars in, Alphonse was sighing to himself. HOW did people constantly injure themselves the same way over and over again? It was like stupidity was contagious or something. Alphonse's arrival into the next few cars had literally left a wake of injured men, all by their own bullets and the detrimental effect of ricochet. It was a relief that Genie had returned him to his armored body and kept everything the same except for the curious flexible metal that composed his body now. Alphonse was certain that he was nearly invulnerable to neigh everything but he wasn't prepared to test this theory.

Tapping on his chestplate and hearing that familiar clanking sound once more, Genie's head popped upwards and into his helmet. "Hey, what's with the racket?" asked the blue guy.

"We've got trouble," answered Alphonse as he opened another car door and the answering bullets greeted him, finishing with a reply of "ARRRRRRGH, IT HURTS IT HURTS!". "Brother is up top working on getting to the Engine room." A more foolhardy sort charged him and a swift metal-laden fist answered the man's approach. "We're dealing with the people here. Just thought I'd let you know in case a situation comes up and we need to wish our way out of it."

"Righto big fella," chirped Genie. "Just lemme know. Otherwise I'm gonna cadager your sweet buns." The sound of snacking could be heard inside the chestplate and Alphonse made a face. "Oooh, cream filled!"

Alphonse quickly knocked out a guy who had injured himself with his own bullets as he passed from one car to the next. From the other car, Alphonse could hear Edward's announcement from inside. Then, the sound of rushing water could be heard and Alphonse opened up the door. Three men stared up at him and he clanked his fists together menacingly. "Welcome to the brig," he intoned, making sure to look very scary as he did so.

Quickly, Alphonse knocked them down as he pushed into the cart where Edward was just driving the blade of his transmutated automail arm through the others gunarm automail. The other man moved to strike Edward but Alphonse drove a fist into his face where he fell over and stayed on the floor.

"Well that's that," said Edward, brushing his hands off. "Hey Alphonse, you okay?"

"Yeah, everything seems to be in one piece," said Alphonse. "Should we...?"

"No," said Edward and he made a gesture towards the General and his family who were picking up their soggy jackets and clothing. The train whistled twice, signifying the end of the line as it began to slow down. "Now, we deal with the Colonel."

* * *

If there was one thing that Edward Elric loved more, it was seeing Colonel Roy Mustang squirm. The older man kept throwing his rank around and it was getting harder each day to make the Flame Alchemist bend to his will. Edward also briefly toyed with the idea of getting Genie to find some blackmail on Roy also added to his mindset but Edward decided very reluctantly to withhold that wish for later. "I suppose you want to restore your bodies, am I right?" said Roy, finally giving up the chance to try and get one over Edward. "Well, I suppose there is someone who might help." 

Roy got to his feet and picked out a file from his shelves. Thumbing through it, he read it over. "Shou Tucker is here in East City. He wrote the book on bringing things to life via chimera synthesis."

"Shou Tucker huh?" said Edward and the boys shared a look. With their bodies restored magically without Roy knowing it would look suspicious if they refused a chance at restoring their bodies through alchemy. "All right, where does he live?"

The ride to Shou Tucker's home was a little quiet for the most part, Edward dwelling on the fact that Tucker had apparently made a talking chimera. Such skill was unheard of but for the most part, he wanted to ask Genie about it.

During the last two or three days of Genie's company when Edward and Alphonse were alone, they asked him about a lot of stuff. Short of wishing for an accurate history of alchemy and all of its uses bound into a single volume, Genie was a venerable wellspring of information. He was old, very old and had seen things when the world was still very young. For the most part, long sleepless nights when Edward and Alphonse couldn't rest were spent asking for stories of times long past.

The jangling at the door bell called up Edward's attention to the very large house. Edward had seen few mansions in his time along with Alphonse, and the sheer size of it made his eyes grow large.

"I guess everything's large here," remarked Alphonse and without warning, a huge shape loomed up over Edward.


	2. Chapter 2

Twelve Wishes

written by Shaun Garin

Fullmetal Alchemist is owned and copyright SquareEnix and Arakawa Hiromu the original manga-ka. The story of Aladdin and the Lamp is public domain but the character of Genie is copyright Disney somewhere around 1997 or 1995 or so. References to Disney's movie Hercules and the original legend of Heracles and the Greek Gods are both copyright Disney somewhere in the 1997 to 2000 timeframe and the original legend is public domain. This story takes place in the Manga timeline and as a result, differs from the Anime timeline.

Chapter 2 : The Second and Third Wishes

* * *

The quiet clink of china on china was the only thing that could be heard in the Tucker residence that quiet evening as Shou Tucker sipped at his tea. A normal occurrence save for the fact that Colonel Mustang was sitting across from him, sharing in the cup of tea. "So, how are they doing?" asked Roy curiously. "I do not have eyes everywhere as most people believe me to have and I'm curious to know how much they have learned."

Tucker took off his glasses and sighed, polishing one lens on a soft cloth. "Edward and Alphonse Elric are quite the interesting boys. But something is puzzling me, Colonel Mustang."

"Oh? And what might that be?" asked Mustang.

"Well, it is true that they are learning as much as possible, spending hours on end in the library studying. But it's strange that they seem to be learning a wide range of material, not just things specific to life transmutation."

Mustang's eyebrows narrowed slightly, just enough to belay his concern. "Really. Did they give a reason for this?"

"I didn't ask to tell the truth," shrugged Tucker. "I was guessing that this was how Edward and Alphonse worked actually. The state certification said that they were geniuses at such a young age and obviously you do not get that by twiddling your thumbs in the drawing room."

As Roy brought the cup to his lips, the sound of shuffling at the door alerted him to the presence of Tucker's daughter Nina. "Daddy?" called out Nina as she peeked into the drawing room. "Daddy, can you kiss me good night?"

Tucker smiled and set down his teacup and held out his hands. Nina walked over and gave her father a big hug as he spared one arm to rub Alexander across the head. The giant sized dog panted happily and his tail thumped out a funky rhythm as Nina giggled. "Daddy you're scratchy again."

"I'm sorry dear," said Tucker, rubbing his chin. "I should shave, shouldn't I?"

"Mmm! Daddy is scratchy. But you know daddy, Bigger Brother is funny, you know? Sometimes he can even get smaller than Big Brother!"

Mustang's eyebrows shot up as Tucker chuckled and rubbed her head. "Anything else about Bigger Brother and Big Brother?" he said.

"Uh huh," said Nina, eyes shining. "Sometimes Bigger Brother talks to his tummy and his tummy talks back! And Big Brother has such a HUUUUGE appetite! They treated me to ice cream today and even Bigger Brother ate his!"

"Nina-chan," said Mustang, leaning in. "Where were you at that time in the day?"

Nina put a finger to her lips and hummed. "Um, the park. Bigger Brother made a playhouse for me and the kids. It was cool, Bigger Brother got smaller and then made a house for us! Then he ate his ice cream! Big Brother started yelling at Bigger Brother when Bigger Brother got an ice cream headache. And then he fed the voice in his tummy!"

Tucker laughed. "Okay, that's enough stories for today Nina. You go to bed now. I'll be up in a few minutes to read you and Alexander a story, okay?"

"Yay! Come on Alexander!" The dog barking happily, the pair ran out into the hall and Tucker chuckled.

"Aaaah, those two boys," said Tucker, rubbing his glasses and behind them, the lenses reflected merry twinkles in his eyes. "They've been such a good playmate with Nina, although they always have new stories. Last week, she was telling me that they were playing wizards. Look."

Looking over at the flower pot, Mustang was surprised to see pale blue roses, something usually unheard of because they were so delicate. "Nina brought them home after they returned from playing," said Tucker, a sad smile on his face. "My wife loved blue roses and Nina said that they were magic roses. I suppose the boys did some long-lasting plant-based transmutation to keep them from rotting. It's been nearly a week and a half now."

Roy nodded and finished his tea. "They're boys of great potential. Excuse me for now, Mr. Tucker. I need to head back to headquarters and finish some reports before turning in."

"Of course, let me show you to the door," said Tucker.

* * *

"Something's bothering you," said Jean Havoc as Roy Mustang stared out of the car window moodily. "Something up?"

"I don't know but something that Tucker said is bothering me," said Roy, flipping open his State Alchemist watch and closing it a few times. It was a nervous habit, one that he didn't employ often since he preferred to scare people by snapping his fingers while wearing his gloves.

"Those two kids are always neck-deep in trouble," said Jean, laughing. "But if you want, I could accompany them tomorrow when they go to the Tuckers again."

"Sure," said Roy and Jean was surprised at the informal tone that Roy sported. "In the meantime, I'm going to get down to the bottom of a mystery. Does it seem odd that Edward Elric eats too much for his own size?"

Jean laughed. "The kid must go to the john too much to compensate. No WONDER he's so small."

Jean didn't notice the expression on Roy's face. 'He eats for three people, not just himself anymore,' thought Roy as East City's headquarters came into view.

* * *

"I want a cookie."

Edward gave his brother a death-glare.

"C'mon, give him a cookie, Ed. He looks like he's about to die," added Genie, floating overhead.

Edward sighed and then, a mischevious expression came over his face. Picking up some thread and string, he transmuted a shiny button into a hook. Spearing the cookie on the end, he dangled it over Alphonse's face. The boy tried to bite it and Edward jerked it up in reply.

The Elric brothers plus powerful servant-slash-friend had indulged that afternoon in play and games. Alphonse was laid out with over-eating, although it puzzled Edward that his own appetite had diminished rapidly. Alphonse, mind you hadn't eaten in such a long time and certainly not such a big meal all at once. It was surprising that while being bed-ridden from eating far too much, Alphonse could still ask for a cookie. Edward chuckled as he dangled the cookie and Alphonse deemed too tired to lift his arms to try and eat it; instead straining his neck to try and bite it. The first time Alphonse had ate chocolate since his subsequent transformation back nearly made him pass out from the explosive taste of the sugar and cocoa. It was part of the reason why Edward tried to keep his brother from transforming just for the sole purpose of eating.

"Al, you're going to get fat," chided Edward as he scribbled a bit more on his paper and dangled the cookie a bit more. "And it's close to bedtime too."

"I can't help it, brother," said Alphonse, trying to bite the cookie. "It's been such a long time since I remember eating chocolate. We never got much in Risembool anyhow since it was so expensive."

"I know," said Edward, making a face. "Hey Genie, question."

"Yeah?" asked Genie, floating up overhead and hanging upside down and vertically. "Something bugging you?"

"I was just wondering, where does that Gate thing lead anyhow?" asked Edward. "I mean, it's got to be a door to somewhere, right?"

"Oooh, that's messing with Things You Need Not Know Mortal," quipped Genie. "After all, the Gods placed it in and boy oh boy, you don't wanna mess with their handiwork."

"Gods, feh," said Edward, waving his hand. "Never mind if you're not going to tell me."

"Sorry about brother," said Alphonse apologetically. "Brother never really believed in God anyhow."

"It's okay kiddo, not many people believe in Genies anymore," said Genie. "I remember that there were a lot of us back in the old days. You couldn't go a century without running into one or two. There was a nice Genie girl, Genie of the Bottle no less. What a looker she was." And Genie made a growling sound. "In any case, want a free history lesson?"

"As long as you keep it down," said Edward. "No sound effects like before."

"Aw phooey," said Genie, pouting. "I was about to re-enact the battle of the Argonauts," and with that, Genie split into three manly looking guys in armour and proceeded to pose.

Alphonse yawned mightily as he finally reached up and grabbed the cookie off the hook, ignoring the explosion of sugar on his tongue and chased it down with a swig of iced water from his cup. "I'm going to bed," said Alphonse, kicking off his shoes and burying himself beneath his sheets. "Wake me up before we head out."

"Yeah, I'll be up for a little while longer then," said Edward. "Night Al."

"Good night brother." Within minutes, Alphonse was fast asleep and Edward smiled as he returned to the books at hand.

* * *

Jean Havoc paused at the sound of snoring from the other side. One light breathing, one a little deeper and one that sounded like "SNOOORK-Mimimimimimimi…". Making a face, he tapped the door and checked the handle. Unlocked.

One hand went into his jacket and palmed his gun as he twisted the doorknob open slightly. The room was dark from what he could tell and the sound of three people breathing inside grew louder without the door closed.

Pushing the door open, he looked in and then flicked on the light. "Ed? You awake kid?"

The blonde in the left bed stirred and then without warning, sat up and clapped his hands. Jean stumbled backwards as Edward made to transmute his arm when Jean added, "Whoa there kid!"

"Uh? Oh, it's you. Sorry Second Lieutenant. I thought it was…" The sleepiness from Edward suddenly lifted and he jumped out of bed. Grabbing Jean by the jacket front, he hauled him inside the room and slammed the door shut, earning a yell and bang from the side of the wall for the noise. "Get inside, quick!"

"Whoa there," said Jean as he looked over at Edward who was still tousled from sleep. "What's the big idea?"

"You can't tell anyone about this, they'll..." Edward was cut off by a sharp but gentle smack on his cheek. "Oh, sorry."

"It's okay," said Jean, looking over at the big blue thing that was sleeping in the air. Without support. And apparently, had no legs. His eyes narrowed, he said, "What IS that?"

"A Genie," said Edward and Jean looked at him funny. "I know it sounds weird but there really ARE Genies!"

"You mean the three-wish making kind?" asked Jean and Edward nodded. "REAALLLY... Well Ed, I think you should tell me everything. And by everything, I also mean the Colonel."

Edward muttered something under his breath. "Hey, Second Lieutenant, can you... keep Genie a secret or something? You know... I don't trust Mustang with this kind of power."

Jean nibbled at his lip as he stuck an unlit cigarette into his lips. "I dunno kid, the Colonel is already worried you haven't learned anything about life alchemy. Tell you what; we'll talk to him after you kids finish up today, okay?"

"Okay, it's a deal," said Edward, hoping there would be some megalithic crisis to suddenly appear. _At least I got Al to sleep in his armoured form._

* * *

"Mr. Tucker! Nina!" called out Edward. "That's odd, where are they?"

"Maybe they're out?" asked Alphonse. Genie was riding in his stomach once more in order to keep up pretences while Jean sat outside in the car.

"No, Mr. Tucker said he'd be here today," said Edward, shaking his head. "C'mon, maybe they're in the lab."

Moving through large hallways and down staircases, the boys soon came to the door that was Shou Tucker's main lab. Edward rapped at the door and called out, "Mr Tucker?"

"In here, boys," called Tucker through the door and Edward pushed the door open. The man looked tired, like he hadn't gotten any sleep but there was a smile on his face, one of accomplishment that spoke of his miracle working.

It put Edward on edge.

"Come boys, let me show you my newest creation," said Tucker and he stepped aside to kneel down a shaggy yellow furred chimera. "Come along then, these are your friends, Edward and Alphonse."

The chimera lifted very human looking eyes and in a warbling trebelo, asked "Ed...ward?"

Edward's throat constricted as he realized just what the creature before him was. "Isn't it fabulous?" Tucker was saying to Alphonse. "I tried so long to recreate the chimera from long ago, and now I succeeded! This will get my recertification without any problem!"

Edward knelt beside the animal and it nuzzled his outstretched hand. "Ed...ward..."

"Mr. Tucker..." said Alphonse, "when did your wife leave you?"

Edward's eyes flew wide open in shock. Did Alphonse realize who this was before he did? He must have... put the pieces together.

"About two years ago," said Tucker. "Why?"

"Because... that thing is human," said Alphonse. He turned a furious glare on Tucker and Tucker found the light glinting off the SCOWLING face even more scary. Metal so liquid, it could take on human features? How was this possible?

"How could you!" shouted Edward angrily, getting up again. "You fused Nina and Alexander into this... thing!"

"You had no right to do this to them! They're living people!" added Alphonse, grabbing Tucker by the shirt. "How could you do this to people you LOVE?"

"You boys don't understand. You sacrificed so much to bring your mother back and you condemn me for a similar act!" Tucker's eyes glinted madly as he rasped, "This is your fault, for planting the seed of thought into my mind."

"No... NO! GENIE! MY SECOND WISH! I WISH..." Edward was grabbed from behind as Jean Havok cupped his hands over Edward's mouth. The other boy struggled angrily and elbowed Jean a few times to no avail.

"Stupid kid," grit out Jean. "Don't waste one of those on them!"

"Brother!" exclaimed Alphonse as Edward collapsed bonelessly. Jean held up a rag and Alphonse realized that Jean had knocked him out. "He'll... be okay, won't he?"

"He'll be fine," said Jean, tucking the rag into a sealed bag. "I just knocked him out." Then, turning to Tucker, he added, "Shou Tucker, you're under arrest for the crime of human transmutation. A patrol wagon will be here shortly. Don't try and escape."

"I... I just wanted what's best for Nina," whimpered Tucker, his resolve broken. He sounded and looked like he had grown several years in age, his life sapped and his emotions withered.

"Then you shouldn't have done this to her," said Alphonse. Heaving a sigh, he pulled his head off and said, "Genie?"

From the depths of Alphonse, Genie rose up. The blue ball of entertainment was solemn, quiet and looked as upset as the rest of people. "This is why we're here, kiddo," he said sadly, patting the boy on the back. "Although, since this was a transmutation problem, the extra ambient energy will need to go somewhere."

"Her structure was fused to the core. There's no way that something like that can be undone," said Tucker, his eyes glinting as he gazed upon Genie. "How are you, a floating chimera able to do something like that?"

"First of all, I am a Genie," said Genie, looking as mad as everyone else in the area. "Second..." suddenly, he grabbed Tucker's nose and thwapped it good and proclaimed in a loud voice, fireworks going off everywhere. "I'm MAGIC!"

"This I gotta see," said Jean, sitting back and obviously enjoying the show.

"Genie," said Alphonse, turning to Edward, "can I make a wish for Edward?"

"Doesn't say in the rule book you can't stand in for a wish that you brother wants too, but first let's check our synchronicity." Genie pulled out a huge stopwatch and thunked half of it onto Alphonse's head and the other onto the comatose Edward. There was a quick ticking sound and then a flag popped out of it reading "Good to Go". "Let's do this!"

"Genie, as Edward's second wish, I wish for Nina and Alexander to be restored!"

In short order, Jean Havok and Alphonse Elric found themselves sitting in barbers chairs, being fussed over. Well, Alphonse was being buffed and was giggling madly while Jean was getting the haircut of his dreams. Genie was fussing over their hair as they watched the spectacle of Tucker being manhandled by a fashion-trendy Genie with a long thin mustache and dressed in a button up dress shirt and trendy looking pants.

"Let's see, that strung out and drawn look is much too third century," quipped Genie in a faux french drawl as he paraded Tucker about around a curtain, dressed as a trendy fashion consultant. "These shabby clothes, what are we trying to say; beggar? NO. Let's work with me here." Genie took quick measurements and then Tucker found himself with a bow tied with a measuring tape. "AND POOF!"

Tucker suddenly found himself staring at the world upside down. "Tres magnifico!" exulted Genie, holding up a hand mirror. "Couldn't done it better myself babe," quipped another Genie, this one dressed like an old woman on the waiting bench and she licked her thumb to page through her magazine that had the Times emblazoned over it with "Genie of the Year" with Genie splashed across the front.

Tucker took it and then begun to laugh madly. The mirror shattered against the wall and an old Genie who was sitting on a nearby fence, winced as mirror shards went all over the place. "Whoa, that's seven years bad luck. Good thing it was a leap year or he'd be cursed for life."

"Dag gumit, Genie be thar right ya'all," added another Genie, dressed in a hillbilly outfit.

"Honestly hun, I think it's an improvement," drawled the first woman Genie as she looked up from her magazine. "Real natural."

Leaving the madly laughing Tucker to his own devices and being trussed up by Genie's in white coats, Genie snapped his fingers and the Nina-Alexander combo was propped up on a chair. Genie zoomed up, dressed like a woman in a hairstylist design. "Babe, these locks have to go," he quipped, weilding a big pair of scissors and he spun the chimera around in the chair, so fast that she was a blur. Picking up another set of scissors, Genie set to work. There was a loud sound like a chainsaw, much to the concern of the spectators; Alphonse, Jean and a sleeping Edward.

"VOILA!" cried Genie, spinning the chair about and then revealing... the Nina-Alexander thing with its mane tousled and lipstick on its face. Jean and Alphonse fell out of their chairs in shock. Edward fell out on account of the floor shaking from the impact.

"Hmm, doesn't seem right," mused Genie and Alphonse cried, "YOU THINK?!"

"No worries, I CAN FIX IT!" cried Genie, dressed as a man in overalls. He was immediately capped down by another Genie and that Genie remarked, "You should stay down, nimrod."

"Hmm, perhaps this'll do it," said Genie, grasping a suddenly convenient looking zipper and tugging it. There was a loud zipping noise and from the chimera, Nina emerged, looking surprised and Alexander immediately leapt out of the costume-like pelt of the former chimera and landed on Edward happily.

"Bigger Brother!" exclaimed Nina, running over to hug Alphonse who hugged her gently. She felt warm against his metal skin, and Alphonse couldn't have been happier.

"I don't freaking believe this," said Jean, shaking his head as Genie set to stuff the Chimera and then mount it on his wall, making a little window with his index and thumb fingers to level the mounting. He was then handed a mirror and Jean took a moment to admire his new haircut. "Just what kind of madness have you two boys finally dug out?"

"I should do my own introductions actually," said Genie, winding up. "I am the GENIE OF THE LAMP!"

"And you... grant wishes," said Jean. Jean Havok always thought himself to be a practical man and what he saw today defied all walks of life with a raised upright finger. "Prove it."

One tremendous song and dance later, which Genie said was entitled "Friend Like Me", Jean was laughing his ass off as Edward, who was woken up during the manhandling during the song and dance, scowled as he ripped the dress off and grabbed a dish rag to clean the make up off. "It wasn't funny," Edward grumbled.

"So, you are a true Genie," said Tucker, shaking his head. "I am sorry..."

"You should be, but we all make mistakes," said Genie. "Heck, look at that Orpheus guy. Went down into the Underworld, fought his way through and when he was given his wife back, the shlub looked behind him and then immediately got himself speared several weeks later in hostile territory."

"So, I gotta ask," said Jean, finally calming down. "If he can do anything, for the most part anyhow, can he restore your bodies?"

The Elric brothers shared a grin and then, clapped and slammed their fists together. "Revert!"

* * *

"Reports said that you spent the day with the Elric brothers, Havok," said Mustang and Jean knew that Mustang had apparently kept tabs on them and anyone around them. "What happened at the estate?"

"Shou Tucker was attempting to make another talking chimera, sir," said Jean, his face schooled into a placid expression as if he was giving a typical report. Only this time, he was lying through his teeth to his superior officer, a man he'd follow into hell. It wasn't that he didn't trust Roy Mustang with any information regarding the Elrics and their servant-slash-best friend Genie, but it was that he didn't trust the LOCATION. East City, despite being a venerable hotbed of information, was also one of the loosest ships in the area when it came to information being passed around like illegal drugs. "In an accident with his experimental project and a problem with the array being damaged when it became violent, Shou Tucker fused himself with the project."

"I see," said Roy, folding his hands before him. Havok noted that he was gloveless, a good thing when dealing with a potential blow up no less, but lying to his commanding officer was, to say the least, harrowing. "Nothing else to report?"

"No sir," said Jean and immediately he felt sick. Keeping his features relaxed but carefully schooled into a placid expression, he continued. "Mr. Tucker was brought to the State Hospital and his daughter Nina has been given in the care of the Elric brothers until Mr. Tucker is fit to resume care of his daughter."

"Curious," said Roy as he leaned back in his chair. "Very curious indeed."

"Sir?" asked Jean curiously.

"Shou Tucker was brilliant, but a madman. It was a surprise that he fell prey to his own experiments, but then again I suppose that's the price for dabbling in human transmutation." Jean swallowed nervously and Roy leveled a look at him. "You're lying, Jean. Something else happened."

Jean knew that Hawkeye probably had her gun on him. Lying to his commanding officer was akin to treason but he also knew that Roy knew better than to shoot first and ask questions later. "Sir, I lie because I have to."

Roy sighed and said, "It's about the Elric brothers, isn't it? You're covering for them."

"Guilty as charged," said Jean, sweating as Hawkeye didn't twitch with the gun trained on him. "Can I say something first?"

Roy nodded and Jean then spilled. To this, Roy's grin grew larger and larger and larger.

People crossing the hallway in front of Colonel Mustang's office exchanged looks that day as the sound of the Colonel laughing far too hard for his own good was heard through his shut door.

* * *

"Edward! Alphonse! Open up!"

"Just a moment!" cried Edward from behind the door. There was a brilliant flash of alchemic-blue light from behind the door and then Alphonse opened the door, admitting Roy, Riza and a very upset looking Jean. "What's going on?" asked Edward curiously.

"Boys, you know it's not good to lie to your superior officer," said Roy and Edward gaped at him and then at Jean who shrugged helplessly. "Be as it may, there are some channels if you're going to hide a magical being. Sometimes trusting me is better than letting someone like Jean handle it. No offense Jean."

"None taken," replied Jean and Alphonse palmed his face.

"So what now?" asked Alphonse. "Is Genie going to be taken away?"

"Come now boys, I'm not that heartless," replied Roy. "First off all, I'd like to meet this Genie of yours."

Alphonse nodded and reached into his torso to pull out the weather-beaten lamp. "Genie, come on out."

Genie poked his head out of the lamp spigot and then took in the sight. "Whoo boy, this looks like a ball of laughs," he muttered to himself, emerging fully from it. "Well then, Ed, Al, mind introducing us?"

"Colonel Mustang, Lieutenant Hawkeye, this is Genie," said Edward, introducing the pair. "Sorry Genie."

"Nice to meet you," the pair chorused.

"So… what about Tucker?" asked Ed.

* * *

"Daddy will be all right, won't he?" asked Nina as she, Edward and Alphonse watched the broken man sit listlessly in the middle of the room. It was comfortable, by prison standards but he was trussed up in a jacket that prevented him from moving or being able to make an array by any means in the room.

Alchemists, on a whole were hard to imprison. You had to remove anything and everything that would allow them to create an array to escape. Barring that, there was also the heavily used strait-jacket that institutions liked to employ, as many Alchemists who had become criminals were also typically unhinged by some unknown force. Tucker's sad listless eyes met Nina's and there was a little tear that ran down his forehead before turning away.

"Time's up, kids," said the orderly and the three had left the viewing room that separated them from the strong glass. Tucker was not violent by any means, but it was a matter of security that he was kept in the institute section of the hospital.

"Is daddy broken?" asked Nina, tugging on Edward's shoulder. "Edward, is he broken?"

"Yeah, daddy's broken," said Edward, his voice heavy and choked with emotion. "He's very broken and very sick, Nina."

"Will he get better?" asked Nina.

"With time, maybe," said Alphonse. He knelt down and rubbed his large steel hand over her head gently. "Don't worry, Nina. Everyone is doing their part to keep your daddy well. But you have to do your part and learn, so that your daddy will be returned to normal. Okay?"

"Okay," said Nina, nodding.

Once in a small alleyway, Genie popped his head out of Alphonse's helmet and said solemnly, "You know, it's hard to redirect any of that matter. It had to go somewhere."

"But why did you have to turn Tucker into a chimera?" asked Edward in a voice low enough to keep Nina from listening in. Nina was busying herself with a stray kitten and Alphonse's head was there to keep her company.

"You have to understand what would have happened if I had separated Nina and Alexander the old fashioned way. It'd kill the remains," said Genie. "And Genie's can't kill. It's been our biggest taboo ever and I'm not about to break it again."

Genie's tone was stern, almost strict and Edward felt ashamed for demanding an answer. "I'm sorry, Genie."

"It's okay, kid," said Genie, wrapping an arm around Edward's shoulders. "There's some things Genie's can't do. It's what keeps us as real as anything around us."


End file.
